Kotowaza Karuta

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  App icon — 1024 × 1024, uncropped.

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  In-app detail screen — 1179 × 2556, no device frame.

Inspiration

My daughter had just started learning Japanese proverbs. I wanted to give her a more enjoyable way to learn than rote memorization or books that read like dictionaries. I also wanted people outside Japan to discover how much meaning and cultural context a few Japanese words can carry.

What it does

Explore Japanese expressions through karuta cards, meanings, examples, and four-choice quizzes. Save expressions to revisit and follow your quiz progress. The collection includes 2,000 proverbs, idioms, four-character expressions, and sayings with classical origins, with watercolor-style illustrations for selected cards. Start with 400 expressions free, without an account. One purchase unlocks the full collection. There are no ads or subscriptions.

Design choices

The opening guide starts with a cat beside some gold coins. The picture is easy to recognize; the expression needs an explanation. Neko ni koban describes something valuable being wasted on someone who cannot appreciate it. The card leads into that meaning and an example.

The next question uses a different proverb: even monkeys fall from trees. After a wrong answer, the chosen and correct pictures remain visible together with the meaning: even experts make mistakes. The learner can compare the cards before moving on.

Built with

React Native, Expo, and TypeScript, with shared learning logic for mobile and web. RevenueCat handles mobile Premium purchases and restoration. The backend uses Cloudflare Workers, D1, and R2.

Built With

• cloudflare-d1
• cloudflare-r2
• cloudflare-workers
• expo.io
• react-native
• revenuecat
• typescript